1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to automotive cleaning equipment, and particularly to brush heads used to deliver a cleaning fluid to a surface of a vehicle.
2. Technical Background
According to current marketing estimates, there are over five hundred million motor vehicles currently operating around the globe. There are over fifteen million vehicles sold in the United States every year, and forty-four million vehicles sold world wide. Vehicle ownership is a necessity. Motorists depend on their vehicle to get them back and forth from work, shopping, and other events and activities. However, for most people, the purchase of a motor vehicle represents a major investment. Accordingly, most vehicle owners try to protect that investment by providing their vehicles with the best maintenance they can afford. Part of this maintenance includes cleaning the exterior of the vehicle to remove dust, road salt, and other road contaminants that may degrade the vehicle finish.
Automated car washes typically employ devices that meter the storage, release and mixture of concentrated soap into a water stream. These devices are commonly referred to as “sudsers.” Sudsers generally include a connector for operably attaching a hose to one end thereof, a reservoir for storing concentrated soap, means through which the water stream must pass to mix the water and soap, and a nozzle for dispensing the water/soap mixture. A brush head, or other such applicators, may be connected to the nozzle to apply the cleaning fluid to the vehicle surface.
However, conventional brush heads and applicators have drawbacks associated with them. For example, conventional brush heads in fluid communication with a source of pressurized fluid have no convenient method for regulating the flow of water and/or cleaning solution. Typically, the user must stop cleaning, put the brush down, and walk over to a selection panel to regulate the flow. Of course, this wastes the user's time and often results in the user depositing more coins in the car wash than are needed.
What is needed is brush head that includes a valve for regulating the flow of water through the brush head itself. The ability to regulate the water flow is desirable because it prevents waste, and allows the user to select an appropriate amount of water flow in accordance with his needs.